Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of innovation on the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Rwanda.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey and quantitative methodological approach were used to collect the data. The bootstrap method was used to test mediation effects.

Findings

The findings revealed that innovation is a significant mediator in the association between managerial competencies and business performance. This study, therefore, adds new knowledge by stating that innovation toward business performance is a partial mediator in the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of SMEs in Rwanda.

Research limitations/implications

Only a single research methodological approach was used. Qualitative studies through interviews could be undertaken to triangulate. Furthermore, the findings from the present study are cross-sectional. Longitudinal studies ought to be undertaken to examine the mediation effects studied to investigate any possibility of variations in the results.

Practical implications

The results may help owners-managers of SMEs to develop policies and strategies that could enable them to take advantage of new opportunities in relation to updated technology and cope with changes that may take place in the business environment to boost their business performance level.

Originality/value

To the authors’ knowledge, no research has ever been carried out on the mediating role of innovation in the relationship between managerial competencies and business performance of SMEs in Rwanda.

中文翻译：

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管理能力和业务绩效：创新作为卢旺达中小企业的中介

目的

本研究的目的是检验创新对卢旺达中小企业 (SME) 管理能力和经营绩效之间关系的中介作用。

设计/方法/方法

使用横断面调查和定量方法来收集数据。bootstrap 方法用于检验中介效应。

发现

研究结果表明，创新是管理能力与企业绩效之间关联的重要中介。因此，这项研究增加了新知识，指出企业绩效创新是卢旺达中小企业管理能力与企业绩效之间关系的部分中介。

研究限制/影响

只使用了单一的研究方法论方法。可以通过访谈进行定性研究以进行三角测量。此外，本研究的结果是横断面的。应该进行纵向研究来检查所研究的中介效应，以调查结果变化的任何可能性。

实际影响

结果可能有助于中小企业的所有者经理制定政策和战略，使他们能够利用与更新技术相关的新机会，并应对商业环境中可能发生的变化，以提高其业务绩效水平。

原创性/价值

据作者所知，在卢旺达中小型企业的管理能力和经营业绩之间的关系中，创新的中介作用还没有进行过研究。